Indicating extension-attachment for collapsible tubes



Nov. 28, 1950' H. A. PERRIGO 2,531,641

INDICATING EXTENSION-ATTACl-IMENT FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filgd May 28, 1949 1H I 12 Ho Patented Nov. 28, 1950 OFFICE INDICATING EXTENSION-ATTACHMENT FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Howard A. Perrigo, Hamden, Conn.

Application May 28, 1949, Serial No. 96,022

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in extension-attachments for collapsible tubes and relates more particularly to indicating extension-attachments for such tubes, 1. e., extension-attachments which serve to indicate the character of the contents of such tubes.

The indicating extension-attachments of the present invention are especially well adapted for use in connection with collapsible tubes of metal containing artists colors or the like, to enable the observer to readily ascertain the precise shade of the paste-like pigment in the collapsible tubes, though the indicating extension-attachments of the present invention are useful in connection with collapsible tubes containing other materials. I

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a superior indicating extensionattaohment for collapsible tubes whereby the character of the contents of such collapsible tubes may be readily ascertained.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a superior indicating extension-attachment of the character referred to and which may be readily removed from one collapsible tube and reapplied to another when desired.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a superior extension-attachment of the character above referred to which may be purchased separately from the collapsible tubes and readil and conveniently installed thereon by unskilled users without the use of tools. and in a manner which will maintain the airtight character of such collapsible tubes.

Still another object is to provide a transparent extension-attachment of the character referred to and having an extrusion-passage therein and further having a curved outer surface serving to magnify the material in the said extrusion-passage.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a collapsible tube having attached thereto an indicating extension-attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention Fig. 2 is a broken central-longitudinal sectional view of the upper portion of the showing of Fig. 1 but on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4. is a view in side elevation of the indicating extension-attachment detached and on substantially the same scale as Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a central-longitudinal sectional view of the indicating extension-attachment on substantially the same scale as Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 6 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in central-longitudinal section of another form of indicating extension-attachment embodying the present invention; and

Fig. '7 is a top or plan view thereof.

The showing of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive The main portion of theindicating extensionattachment shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive is of tubular form and for convenience of description Will be designated as a tubular body II] which has an axial extrusion-passage I I extending longitudinally thcrethrough. At its outer end, the bod It is reduced in diameter to form an outwardly-extending coupling-neck I2 having its outer end-surface providing a sealing-seat I3, for purposes as will hereinafter appear. The outer end-surface I4 of the body may, if desired, also be utilized as a sealing-seat in a manner as will hereinafter appear.

The outer periphery of the coupling-neck I2 is provided with coupling-means in the form of screw threads I5 which are adapted to interengage with screw threads I6 formed interiorly of a closure or cap ll. The said cap I! may be the usual cap which forms a customary feature of a collapsible tube and contains within its interior a gasket I8 adapted to engage with the sealing-seat I3 provided by the outer end-surface of the coupling-neck I2, as is especially well shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

In its inner portion in coaxial alignment with the extrusion-passage I I, the body i0 is formed with a, coupling-recess I9 larger in diameter than the said extrusion-oassage and providing at its junction therewith a se ling-seat 2%! against which is normally located a gasket H.

The coupling-recess I9 in the inner portion of the body II is provided with coupling means in the form of screw threads 22 adapted to interengage with screw threads 23 formed upon the integral neck 2d of a collapsible tube generally designated by the reference character 25.. The collapsible tube 25 in addition to its integral neck 24 also includes a relatively large-diametered body 26 adapted to be readily collapsed.

Preferably and as shown, the inner end-surface of the body it of the extension-attachment is chamfered, as at 2?, to substantially conform in slope to the sloping end-surface 2-8 of the body 26 of the collapsible tube 25, as is especially well indicated in Fig. 2.

The screw threads I5 on the coupling-neck I2 of the body lil are of the same size-rating and pitch, as are'the screw threads 22 in the couplingrecess H3 in the inner portion of the said body it.

The collapsible tubes such as 25 are usually formed of tin, tin alloys, aluminum or aluminum alloys, and normally will have a cap such as. E? threaded upon their respective necks such as 2 to thus seal the contents within the collapsible tube.

ihe indicating extension-attachment comprising the elements it to is and is to 22 inclusive, is made of any suitable transparent material such, for instance, polystyrene, methylmethacrylate, cellulose acetate or the like. There isafforded b the curved outer surface of such materials a magnifying effect and in the case of methyl-methacrylate, for instance, the eX- trusion-passage ii and its contents appear from the exterior to be almost twice their actual diameter and without altering the color or other appearance of thematerial in the aid extrusionpassage H.

In utilizing the indicating extension-attachment above described, the user may first remove the cap H from the neck "iii of the tube and then thread the body til onto the said neck until the gasket "24 is pinched between the outer end surface of the neck E i and the sealing-seat 2i within the said body. In this manner the body iii and its associated features become, in effect, an extension of the collapsible tube 2-5 with the extrusion-passage it in communication with the passage 29 in the neck 25 and hence with the entire interior of the body 26 of the collapsible tube 25.

After the extension-attachment has been mounted on the collapsible tube as previously described, the lower end of the body 26 of the collapsible tube may be rolled up slightly or the said body may be otherwise compressed to eX- trude part of its contents into the extrusionpassage H and the contents used if desired, as

.is indicated by the stippling in Figs. 1, 2 and 1-.

be interposed between the inner chamfered endsurface 2? of the body it and the end-surface ,23 of the collapsible tube 25 to effect the seal this location.

Similarly, instead of sealing the outer end of the body H] by means of the gasket {8, any desired gasket may be interposed between the innermost end-surface of the cap El and the outer end-surface i i of the said body it to effect the seal at this location, if desired.

The showing of Figs. 6 and 7 The indicating extension-attachment shown in Figs. 6'and 7 isof the same basic chai'acter'as the extension-attachment previously described and,

oil

4 for convenience, similar features will bear like reference characters plus the subscript a.

In the structure of Figs. 6 and '7 the couplingneck iZa, instead of being formed with complete screw threads, is formed at substantially diametrically-opposite points with coupling-means in the form of coupling-lugs 33-46 which are preferably helically inclined and displaced with respect to each other in an axial direction. The said coupling-lugs are adapted to interengage with screw threads in a suitable cap such, for instance, as the cap i1 previously described.

The coupling-recess l9a in the body Ilia is provided at substantially diametrically-opposite points with coupling-lugs 3l3| which are preferably helically inclined and displaced with respect to each other in an axial direction. The said coupling-lugs are adapted to engage with suitable screw threads such, for instance, as the screw threads "2-3 of the collapsible tube 25 previously described.

The coupling-lugs SE-tfi and ti-3l preferably have the same general characteristics and functions as the screw threads l5 and 22 previously described, and further, are'better adapted to interengage with screw threads which might vary slightly in pitch or other characteristics from normal. Thus, 'thedevice illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 will fit a variety Of collapsible tubes, some with threads of U. S. standards and some with threads of European standards.

The body 59a and its integral features is formed of transparent material such, for'insta-nce, as those materials mentioned'in connection with the description of the structure of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the extension-attachments of the'present inventicn are adapted to enable a user'to readily apply them to collapsible tubes and to utilize the ordinary cap thereof to effect the ultimate seal of the device, while meanwhile indicating to the user the color or other characteristics-of the contents of the collapsible tube which normally will have been extrudedwholly or partially into or through the device.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an indieating extension-attachment for collapsible tubes having caps, including: a body formed of transparentmaterial and provided at one end with a coupling-neck designed and adapted to have a cap mounted thereover and also having an outwardly-facing sealing-seat; the said body being provided at its opposite end with a coupling-recess designed and adapted to receivethe neck of a collapsible tube and withan inwardlyfacing sealing seat; the said transparent body being also formed *w'ith an extrusion passage leading from its said coupling-recess to and through its said coupling-neck; and the said body further having coupling-means on its said coupling-neck for coupling a cap thereto and coupling-means in its said coupling-recess for coupling the device to the-neck of a collapsible 2. As a new article of manufacture, an indicating eXtension attac-hment for collapsible tubes having caps, including: a body formed of transparent material and provided at one end with a coupling-neck designed and adapted to have a cap mounted thereover and having an outwardly-facing sealing-seat; the said body being provided at its opposite end with a couplingrecess designed and adapted to receive the neck of a collapsible tube and with an inwardlyfacing sealing-seat; the said transparent body being also formed with an extrusion-passage leading from its said coupling-recess to and through its said coupling-neck; the said body further having coupling-means on its said coupling-neck for coupling a cap thereto and coupling-means in its said coupling-recess for coupling the device to the neck of a collapsible tube; and the two said coupling-1neans being of substantially-corresponding dimensional characteristics so that upon the removal of a cap from the neck of a collapsible tube the said neck may be entered into coupling engagement in the coupling-recess of the said body and whereby the said cap may be applied over the coupling-neck of the said body.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an indicating extension-attachment for collapsible tubes having caps, including: a body formed of transparent material and provided at one end with a coupling-neck designed and adapted to have a cap mounted thereover and having an outwardly-facing sealing-seat; the said body being provided at its opposite end with a couplingrecess designed and adapted to receive the neck of a collapsible tube and with an inwardlyfacing sealing-seat; the said transparent body being also formed with an extrusion-passage leading from its said coupling-recess to and through its said coupling-neck; the said body further having coupling-means on its said coupling-neck for coupling a cap thereto and coupling-means in its said coupling-recess for coupling the device to the neck of a collapsible tube; the said transparent body having a curved exterior portion serving to magnify the material in the said extrusion-passage; and the two said coupling-mean being of substantially-corresponding dimensional characteristics so that upon the removal of a cap from the neck of a collapsible tube the said neck may be entered into coupling engagement in the coupling-recess of the said body and whereby the said cap may be applied over the coupling-neck ol' the said body.

4. As a new article of manufacture, an indicating extension-attachment for collapsible tubes having caps, including: a body formed of transparent material and provided at one end with a coupling-neck having a sealing-seat adjacent thereto and at its opposite end with a coupling-recess also having a sealing-seat adjacent thereto; the said transparent body being also formed with an extrusion-passage leading therethrough from its said coupling-recess to and through its said coupling-neck; the said body further having coupling-means on its said coupling-neck and coupling-means in its said coupling-recess; and one of the said couplingmeans being designed and adapted to couple the said body to a collapsible tube and the other coupling-means being designed and adapted to engage and hold a closure-member.

HOWARD A. PERRIGO.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Davis Oct. 3, 1944 Number 

